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Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems
And Governance Alternatives
Edited by: Prachanda Pradhan and Upendra Gautam
Published by: Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems Trust
Pages: 547
Prices: US$ 15.00 NRs.1000.00
Local Irrigation
The book highlights the importance of farmer managed irrigation system in Nepal
By A CORRESPONDENT
In the past five decades, Nepal has conducted many successful experiments on development practices and exercises. Some of them were very successful and became renowned in the world. Being a country with long history of self-help, Nepalese society has its own way of managing the development activities but it was completely ignored in the first two decades of developmental practices in Nepal.
From drinking water to forest and community to irrigation, Nepalese farmers have their own effective and indigenously developed development approach. Based on the self-help and community involvement, Nepal's tradition evolves within the active participation of the people in various sectors.
Irrigation is one of the sectors where local farmers have been working under their own methods. From management to water distribution system, Nepalese farmers have centuries-old practices of irrigation system.
With the inception of modern irrigation system in Nepal, the old systems are gradually vanishing. The government involves in construction of canal to management. As soon as government started to intervene in the sector, Nepalese farmers gave up their own traditional practice of irrigation management.
Despite the continual involvement of the government, the irrigation projects did not produce the desired results. At a time when the country's policy makers found out the lacuna in the irrigation management, they have returned to the old system.
Thanks to the effort by Farmer Managed Irrigation System Promotion Trust, a new (actually old) process of reviving the old system has begun. In the last one-decade, Prachanda Pradhan and Upendra Gautam have been making efforts to popularize Nepal's farmer managed system throughout the world.
Based on the proceedings of the Third International Seminar held on 9-10 September 2004, the book is a first of its kind, which covers the opinions and ideas of various experts around the world. "Historical evolution of FMIS in Kathmandu Valley (78 to 880 AD) indicates state recognition to water management as a public welfare activity where the issues were adjudicated by Panchaly (assembly of local learned)," writes Pradhan and Gautam duo. "In 1688, water guards were employed for better information about the irrigation affairs and enforcement of decisions taken."
The seminar had been participated by altogether 138 persons that included 58 scholars and 80 learners from 17 countries. These countries included eight industrialized; five developing and four least developed ones from Europe, Asia and America.
The book is divided into four parts. The first part involves Initiation and Honor Ceremony and the second part consists of Parallel Sessions and third session involves Farmer's Panel on FMIS Governance. The last chapter deals with experts' panel on FMIS Governance.
"The seminar offered a forum with congenial atmosphere for exchanging ideas and mutual learning through both formal sessions as well as informal interactions. There was a sizeable participation from the youths including both the students and young professionals who were enthusiastically taking part in the sessions of their choice during the parallel session."
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